Weekly Daf #60

When Compliments Backfire

Lashon Hara - forbidden speech regarding other people - is not limited to saying uncomplimentary
things about them. Rabbi Dimi has warned us never to say nice things about another because this can lead to saying uncomplimentary
things as well.

The obvious question which such a ruling invites
is resolved by the following approaches.

Don't be excessive in your praise of another
for this will inevitably lead to mentioning his shortcomings as
well. (Rashbam)

Don't praise someone in front of people who do
not like him because you invite them to mention the features they
dislike. (Rambam)

Bava Basra 164b

The Sages Beat Him to It

The Sage Abaye offered a bit of sage counsel which
served him as well as others.

When there is a need for a man who is signed as a
witness on a document to submit a signature specimen to the court
to help it in certifying his signature he should be careful to
write this signature only at the very top of a sheet. Should
he write it lower there is the danger that it may fall into the
hands of an unscrupulous person who will then write a promissory
note on top of that signature and present it for collection as
a signed admission of indebtedness which is considered a valid
document.

An unscrupulous tax collector once came before Abaye
and told him that he was prepared to offer an exemption from taxes
to Torah scholars who presented a letter of accreditation signed
by the Sage. He asked Abaye to give him a specimen of his signature
and placed a sheet before him for this purpose. As Abaye started
to write his signature on the top of the sheet this fellow attempted
to pull the sheet away so that he would sign at the bottom and
thus enable him to write what he pleased atop that signature.
But Abaye simply reminded him: